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Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate
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Manufacturer: InterVarsity Press
Author: Thomas E. Schmidt
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
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Our Price: $11.25
You Save: $ 3.75 ( 25% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: InterVarsity Press
Author: Thomas E. Schmidt
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Average Customer Rating:
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Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 241.66
EAN: 9780830818587
ISBN: 0830818588
Label: InterVarsity Press
Manufacturer: InterVarsity Press
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 239
Publication Date: 1995-06
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Studio: InterVarsity Press
Dewey Decimal Number: 241.66
EAN: 9780830818587
ISBN: 0830818588
Label: InterVarsity Press
Manufacturer: InterVarsity Press
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 239
Publication Date: 1995-06
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Studio: InterVarsity Press
Editorial Review of Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate
Writing with Christian perspective and empathy, Schmidt addresses all the main points of the current debate--what the Bible really says and means about homosexuality; the health effects of homosexual behavior; whether or not people are born with homosexual orientations; and the cogency of recent progay reconstructions of history. This book is the most comprehensive, persuasive and readable Christian book on the subject.
Customer Reviews of Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Rethinking Homosexuality and Christianity
Review: Schmidt, Thomas E. "Straight and Narrow?: Compassion ad Clarity in the Homosexual Debate", InterVaristy Press, 1995.
Rethinking Homosexuality and Christianity
Amos Lassen
Even though "Straight and Narrow?" was written in 1995, it is thorough look at what is predominant in the evangelical Christian look at homosexuality. Thomas Schmidt looks more at Bible studies, medicine, and developmental psychology than theology and provides some new thoughts on why the church should accept homosexuality. Schmidt is clear and concise in presenting his arguments and his book is written from the Christian perspective. He concentrates on these main points:
1. what the Bible really says about homosexuality and what that means
2. are people born as homosexuals or is it learned behavior?--the nature vs. nurture theory.
3. health and homosexuality.
4. popular reconstructions of American history.
Schmidt looks at political correctness but since this book is written from the Christian point of view, non-Christians will probably have a hard time with it. He gives excellent summaries of the traditional Christian position against gays and supplies evidence which is not only Biblical but scientific that male homosexuality contains both morally unacceptable and pathological elements. He further maintains that the Christian view and tradition is truthful and honest but he maintains that Christianity could very well lose the battle on the gay issue.
The book is powerful and highly charged. There are accusations of self-delusion, fear, and bigotry and basically Schmidt maintains that homosexuality is wrong due to medical reasons and not homophobia and the church. Whether we agree or not, Schmidt presents his arguments in a scholarly and compassionate way. He looks at homosexuals as human beings (and there is question on this) and totally discounts the church's ideas that we should be eliminated from the face of the earth. He tells us that all people deserve love and should have it from everyone. Schmidt provides no justification for homosexuality but he stresses the fact that we need to be recognized.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Great Insight with Credible References
Review: This book changed my life. After reading other pro-gay theology books I looked high and low for a one stop shop book that would take what pro-gay theology said and would adequately argue the other side of it. This book is awesome at doing just that. It is an easy read with very applicable subject matter. I struggled with homosexuality and, after reading this book, prayer and a lot of work I finally found the truth for my life.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Focus for Christians
Review: Although this book is not particularly new, it provides much needed reminders for the Christian community. Thomas Schmidt provides a refocusing for Christians who all too often tend to point the finger and engage in a negative attack on homosexuality. While Schmidt does not provide any justification for homosexuality he is quite clear that Christians must recognize homosexuals as unrighteous individuals in need of Christ's covering blood in just the same way as the Christian. This book is factual and is a read that would benefit many Christians. As we seek to become Christ-like, we cannot reconcile an attitude reminiscent of the Pharisees with that desired transformation but we must be able to stand strong in what is true. Excellent focus on the compassion we must have while maintaining the clarity needed on the truth.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Worth Reading
Review: This is a very well-written book, but admittedly from a Christian point of view. So if you're not a Christian, you may not be able to relate to some of what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I felt it was worth reading, particularly for two chapters: "The Price of Love" and "The Great Nature-Nurture Debate." "The Price of Love" marshals a tremendous amount of statistics that present a striking contrast to our popular culture's generally affirming view of homosexuality. Specifically, it indicates that many homosexual men have many, many more partners than anybody else (including gay women). It also indicates that, at least as of the 1970's, most gay relationships did not last longer than a few years. In other words, there really is a different set of behavior patterns in the homosexual community. Also, the author highlights the health risks inherent in this lifestyle, particularly for men. In "The Great Nature-Nuture Debate," the author shows how homosexuals are probably not just "born that way," but there are a whole variety of factors that contribute to homosexuality -- biology, family situation, culture, experience, etc. -- and that these factors vary from person to person. His theory of social constructionism is particularly interesting and should be paid heed to -- that the way people understand themselves (in this case sexually) often comes from the culture that they're living in. These two chapters should be read by everybody.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Very fair-minded and clearly reasoned.
Review: Schmidt's great strength is a very simple one: he treats homosexuals as human beings. Not as enemies, monsters, aliens, or vermin, but as human beings - and that, given the fraught atmosphere in which these issues are so often discussed, is sheer gain. Far too often, Christians wave verses at gays as if they thought that they could make "those people" vanish. It is not going to happen. Schmidt does not forget that he is talking about real people, even while he disagrees with what Boswell and others have written. Those who wish to track his arguments to their sources, have plenty of references to wade through. All too often, straight Christians are the very last people on this planet to have any understanding of what it is like to realise one is gay - I hope this book will help to dispel that sort of attitude. Schmidt dismisses the attitude which is summed up so often in the much-abused and threadbare words, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" - it really amounts to loving people not at all, because it does not treat them as persons loved unconditionally by God. It is one of Schmidt's virtues that he sees this.
Review Summary: Rethinking Homosexuality and Christianity
Review: Schmidt, Thomas E. "Straight and Narrow?: Compassion ad Clarity in the Homosexual Debate", InterVaristy Press, 1995.
Rethinking Homosexuality and Christianity
Amos Lassen
Even though "Straight and Narrow?" was written in 1995, it is thorough look at what is predominant in the evangelical Christian look at homosexuality. Thomas Schmidt looks more at Bible studies, medicine, and developmental psychology than theology and provides some new thoughts on why the church should accept homosexuality. Schmidt is clear and concise in presenting his arguments and his book is written from the Christian perspective. He concentrates on these main points:
1. what the Bible really says about homosexuality and what that means
2. are people born as homosexuals or is it learned behavior?--the nature vs. nurture theory.
3. health and homosexuality.
4. popular reconstructions of American history.
Schmidt looks at political correctness but since this book is written from the Christian point of view, non-Christians will probably have a hard time with it. He gives excellent summaries of the traditional Christian position against gays and supplies evidence which is not only Biblical but scientific that male homosexuality contains both morally unacceptable and pathological elements. He further maintains that the Christian view and tradition is truthful and honest but he maintains that Christianity could very well lose the battle on the gay issue.
The book is powerful and highly charged. There are accusations of self-delusion, fear, and bigotry and basically Schmidt maintains that homosexuality is wrong due to medical reasons and not homophobia and the church. Whether we agree or not, Schmidt presents his arguments in a scholarly and compassionate way. He looks at homosexuals as human beings (and there is question on this) and totally discounts the church's ideas that we should be eliminated from the face of the earth. He tells us that all people deserve love and should have it from everyone. Schmidt provides no justification for homosexuality but he stresses the fact that we need to be recognized.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Great Insight with Credible References
Review: This book changed my life. After reading other pro-gay theology books I looked high and low for a one stop shop book that would take what pro-gay theology said and would adequately argue the other side of it. This book is awesome at doing just that. It is an easy read with very applicable subject matter. I struggled with homosexuality and, after reading this book, prayer and a lot of work I finally found the truth for my life.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Focus for Christians
Review: Although this book is not particularly new, it provides much needed reminders for the Christian community. Thomas Schmidt provides a refocusing for Christians who all too often tend to point the finger and engage in a negative attack on homosexuality. While Schmidt does not provide any justification for homosexuality he is quite clear that Christians must recognize homosexuals as unrighteous individuals in need of Christ's covering blood in just the same way as the Christian. This book is factual and is a read that would benefit many Christians. As we seek to become Christ-like, we cannot reconcile an attitude reminiscent of the Pharisees with that desired transformation but we must be able to stand strong in what is true. Excellent focus on the compassion we must have while maintaining the clarity needed on the truth.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Worth Reading
Review: This is a very well-written book, but admittedly from a Christian point of view. So if you're not a Christian, you may not be able to relate to some of what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I felt it was worth reading, particularly for two chapters: "The Price of Love" and "The Great Nature-Nurture Debate." "The Price of Love" marshals a tremendous amount of statistics that present a striking contrast to our popular culture's generally affirming view of homosexuality. Specifically, it indicates that many homosexual men have many, many more partners than anybody else (including gay women). It also indicates that, at least as of the 1970's, most gay relationships did not last longer than a few years. In other words, there really is a different set of behavior patterns in the homosexual community. Also, the author highlights the health risks inherent in this lifestyle, particularly for men. In "The Great Nature-Nuture Debate," the author shows how homosexuals are probably not just "born that way," but there are a whole variety of factors that contribute to homosexuality -- biology, family situation, culture, experience, etc. -- and that these factors vary from person to person. His theory of social constructionism is particularly interesting and should be paid heed to -- that the way people understand themselves (in this case sexually) often comes from the culture that they're living in. These two chapters should be read by everybody.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Very fair-minded and clearly reasoned.
Review: Schmidt's great strength is a very simple one: he treats homosexuals as human beings. Not as enemies, monsters, aliens, or vermin, but as human beings - and that, given the fraught atmosphere in which these issues are so often discussed, is sheer gain. Far too often, Christians wave verses at gays as if they thought that they could make "those people" vanish. It is not going to happen. Schmidt does not forget that he is talking about real people, even while he disagrees with what Boswell and others have written. Those who wish to track his arguments to their sources, have plenty of references to wade through. All too often, straight Christians are the very last people on this planet to have any understanding of what it is like to realise one is gay - I hope this book will help to dispel that sort of attitude. Schmidt dismisses the attitude which is summed up so often in the much-abused and threadbare words, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" - it really amounts to loving people not at all, because it does not treat them as persons loved unconditionally by God. It is one of Schmidt's virtues that he sees this.
As a Catholic, I did not notice any kind of bias - it complements the slightly more clinical books of Father John Harvey well.